1980s Hair: A Trip Down Memory Lane

The 1980s are making a comeback, to some extent, as evidenced by Madonna-wannabe retreads, bright colors, lace and plaids. So everything old is new again.

So far, perhaps fortunately, a lot of the 1980s hair styles have not yet made a comeback. In fall 2009 some wavier hairstyles are returning, but nothing like the mega-perms, moussed monsters and feathered 'do's (or don'ts?) of the past.

But whether you loved those hairdos or hated them, there were definitely some memorable ones. A highly subjective list, in no particular order:

Madonna: When she landed in the big time, she inspired tons of imitators, from her cutoff tights, boy-toy belts, tons of rosaries and beads, to the ratted, bleached wavy hair with a few months' worth of roots showing. Then in 1986 she shifted gears and went ultra blonde. But whether you prefer punkier Madonna, the Marilyn Monroe retreads or the occasional return to her roots, she is definitely memorable.

Cyndi Lauper: Who can forget Cyndi Lauper bursting onto the scene, with that mop of red-orange hair, with the side shaved and random chunks of blonde throughout? You knew that girl was so unusual and her records were awesome. Those fades on the sides are starting to creep up into fringe style once again.

Mike Score: You might not recognize the name, but when someone mentions the band Flock of Seagulls, the first thing that comes to mind is that memorable hairdo. It's hard to describe accurately: Hair bleached white, parted down the middle, coming up in waves up the sides and cascading down the front over his forehead. It looks like it came out of a 1960s comic book where the artist had a vision of the future. Totally unforgettable.

Any hair metal band: Poison is probably the best example These guys probably kept Aqua Net stocks soaring high and could slice cheese with it as well, because you know hair that lacquered must have been pretty sharp and crunchy. Hair up to there and totally defying gravity. Throw in a hot pink leopard print headband and bleach it or blacken it and there you have it.

Boy George: His hair hardly looked like hair sometimes. Beaded, braided, dyed unnatural colors, spiked, ratted. He probably did everything with it but make it look normal.

Nick Rhodes and Duran Duran: The guys from Duran Duran were 1980s idols, with all their hit records and legions of girls and guys loving the Fab Five. They rocked a bit of guy-liner in the 1980s and the hair styles definitely didn't look wash and go. Andy Taylor and John Taylor, and Nick, too, rocked mullets in their various incarnations. But they at least didn't keep them. Nick probably was most memorable, though. He changed hair color and hair styles almost monthly, it seemed. Red, blonde, black, spiked, feathered - you name it, he probably tried it.

Princess Di: Feathered and frosted hair was huge in the 1980s. These feathers were pretty structured on Princess Di. Sort of loose but put-together looking in its way. Even George Michael, in his Wham! days had a variation of this. But neither went too crazy with the frosting trend. Remember that? Those ladies with very dark hair with white, blonde frosted highlights throughout? If you've forgotten, you never know, you could very well start seeing that again. After all, acid wash jeans are returning. Anything is possible.

Christie Brinkley: Her hair is simple and gorgeous: All-American, cascading waves of honey-wheat blonde locks. Shiny, bouncy, shampoo-commercial hair all the way. She hasn't changed her formula much over the years. She figured out what worked for her and stuck with it.

And last, but not least, the cast of the TV series Dynasty is an awesome (literal and figurative) example of 1980s hair. All big, teased, lacquered, severe. High-powered hair to go with high-powered outfits beefed up with mega-shoulder pads. Joan Collins, Lynda Evans, Heather Locklear, you name it. The show is a 1980s hair and fashion time capsule in its own right.